Page 260 of Patterson’s Illustrated Nautical Encyclopedia · 19 entries
Specially constructed basins for facilitating the loading and discharging of vessels. At high tide vessels are admitted into wet docks through a gate, which is closed again before the tide falls much, and by these means the water in these basins is kept at a uniform depth, and the vessels moored therein are not exposed to the dangers of open roadsteads, tides, etc. The finest and most extensive system of wet docks in the world is to be seen in England.
(See Nurse.)
A peculiar construction of vessel built originally on the Great Lakes, and designed for great stowage capacity. Several of these vessels have made extended ocean voyages and demonstrated great seaworthiness. (See engraving.)
A boat from 20 to 40 feet long, with a beam equal to about one fifth of its length. It is a most excellent sea boat, being sharp at each end, and a medium-size one is often used as a gig.
A vessel employed in the whale fishery.
A landing place built by the side of, or extending into the water, at which ships load and unload.
Street arabs and river thieves who infest wharves, sometimes living on platforms beneath the flooring.
One who has charge of a wharf.
The instrument for steering a vessel, being connected with a barrel around which the tiller ropes go.
Chains used in place of the rope for connecting the steering wheel and the tiller.
The house on deck containing the wheel, connecting with the tiller, and by which the vessel is steered.
Lengths of straight rod along the water ways that take the place of a part of the wheel rope or chain.
A rope connecting the steering wheel and the tiller.
Pieces of iron bolted to wooden windlass barrels so as to prevent the chain cable from cutting into the wood.
A small rowing boat. Also a small sailing boat used for fishing.
A purchase formed of one single block with a small rope rove through it. To prevent the end of a rode from fagging by seizing it around with twine. A double whip has two single blocks.
A whip, the block of which is spliced into a pendant. One end of the whip is made fast, the bight rove through the pendant block, and the other end the hauling part.
One whip applied to the fall of another.
The binding of twine placed around the end of a rope to keep it from fraying.
